Now Jacinda offends India

by Christie on February 18, 2019 at 8:00am

Jacinda Ardern cracking
Photoshopped image credit: Luke

Will someone please explain to me why we seem to be determined to offend most of our allies and all of our trading partners? Jacinda can write gushing letters of solidarity to Europe, ignoring the fact that we fought in two world wars on the opposite side of some powerful EU members, but when it comes to basic diplomacy, this government seems to have lost its way completely.

The ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan in the Kashmir region resulted in the deaths of 45 Indian troopers and most of our western allies quickly came forward to condemn the attack. Unfortunately, we did not.quote.

The fact that New Zealand government has so far not issued any public condemnation of the unfortunate killing of 45 Indian troopers in a terror attack by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Jammu and Kashmir is raising a lot of questions on the manner it is treading in its foreign affairs.

On Thursday, February 14, in the worst-ever terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir in last three decades, a suicide bomber rammed his SUV packed with explosives into a bus on the Srinagar-Jammu highway in Pulwama district, killing at least 43 Indian troopers and leaving the security establishment stunned. end quote.

Most of the world came out quickly to condemn the horrific attack. quote.

The international community has strongly condemned the terror attack by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 45 CRPF personnel, with US President Donald Trump asking Pakistan to “end immediately” the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil.

“We express our deep condolences to the victims’ families, the Indian government and the Indian people for the loss of life in this brutal attack,” the statement added.

End quote.

Why could we not issue a statement similar to that? Have we really fallen so far that we cannot send a message of sympathy to a friendly country that has suffered such a horrific attack, particularly as so many people of Indian descent now live in New Zealand? quote.

China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday also denounced the attack, hoping that “relevant regional countries will cooperate to cope with the threat of terrorism and jointly uphold regional peace and stability”. end quote.

China can manage an appropriate response, but somehow we cannot? quote.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the “brutal crime” and said that “the perpetrators and sponsors of the attack, undoubtedly, should be duly punished”. end quote.

The Russians can manage it as well. So can the EU, Canada, Australia, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. quote.

However, unfortunately, the NZ government has failed to issue an official response and condemnation of the worst ever terrorist attack on Indian armed forces in the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir.

However, this diplomatic-lethargy was least expected from the NZ government.More so coming under Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who takes enormous pride in kindness and compassion to fellow human beings, it is likely that many sentiments are going to be hurt within the Kiwi-Indian diaspora.

Jacinda has been called out on her ‘kindness’. The whole world can now see that this is simply empty rhetoric, designed to make her look good, but nothing more.

There has been talk in the past of an FTA with India and, if relations with China have soured, as it so appears, then India could have provided a new source of trade for our exports. It is quite clear, however, that India feels that New Zealand treats it with marked disinterest and this snub shows that feeling to be justified.

So now Jacinda has upset the USA, Australia, China and India. But don’t worry, comrades. She didn’t recognise the new government of Venezuela. Now we truly know the company that we keep.

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